Thursday, April 12, 2012

Will Fond du Lac Residents Now Be Clamoring for This Book?

If so, this appears to be their only library option.

"Best-selling 'mommy porn'", The Los Angeles Times, 3/13/2012

Fond du Lac Public Library says 'no' to controversial bestseller. Fond du Lac Reporter, 4/11/2012)

Excerpt:    The best-selling book “Fifty Shades of Grey” will not be found on the shelves at Fond du Lac Public Library.

Library Director Ken Hall said there were no plans to purchase the controversial book, which delves into romance and sadomasochism.

“‘We don’t collect erotica’,” Hall said he was told by the person who orders books for the library — and he supports the decision.

Meanwhile, other libraries are carrying the novel, which reached the top of the fiction charts and is the first in a trilogy by British author E.L. James. The print version had been hard to come by in bookstores, so readers have been forced to read the e-book edition, which was released first.

At Ripon Public Library, Librarian Desiree Bongers said there were 75 holds for the book in the system.

[Now at 81.   And counting.]


Based on our selection policy, we do have the book in our library. It is put out by a large, mainstream publisher, there’s been a lot of publicity for it and people are asking for it,” Bongers said.


As for the South Central Library System -- the LINKcat libraries at least -- Dane County is well-represented. 

594 Holds

Elsewhere in the state.

Winding Rivers Library System:  3 copies on order, 75 holds.

Milwaukee County Federated Library System:  2 editions, 36 copies, 330 holds.
Northern Waters Library Service:  3 copies, 32 holds.



Outagamie-Waupaca Library System (InfoSoup):  2 print editions, 13 copies,  270 holds.

Indianhead Federated Library System.  335 holds on 13 copies.
On order in V-Cat, Wisconsin Valley Library Service.  2 editions,  9 copies, 50 holds.

Seems pretty obvious to me that any library whose collection development policy includes the selection criterion of "popular demand" has no choice but to purchase at least 1 copy of Fifty Shades of Gray

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